This invention relates to a child distance monitoring and alerting system. More particularly, the invention relates to a device which employs a transmitter unit to be worn by a child, and a receiver unit to be worn by a parent, for alerting the parent when the child has wandered out of range. Further, the invention relates to the transmitter unit having a temper-resistant fastening means incorporated therein for preventing unauthorized removal of the transmitter unit from the child's clothing.
Various references uncovered in the prior art provide devices that utilize a transmitter and receiver arrangement for monitoring or locating a child. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,915 to Chen discloses a child separation alarm comprising a first safety pin to be worn by a person for transmitting a wireless signal which is to be received by another person wearing a second safety pin for receiving the wireless signal and initiating a buzzer when no wireless signal is received thereby. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,074 to White discloses a child finder constructed as a watch or jewelry to be worn by a child in which a transmitter is mounted for sending a monitoring signal to a conventional receiver so that the child's location can be continually monitored.
Most of these prior art devices may not provide adequate protection against perpetrators, including kidnappers, since these devices, when worn by a child, can be easily removed therefrom by a perpetrator before the child is forcibly taken away. Therefore, there is still a further need to provide an improved child distance monitoring and alerting system for alerting a guardian that the supervised child has wandered off too far. Such a child distance monitoring and alerting system should incorporate a tamper-resistant fastening feature within the transmitter unit so that it can be securely attached to an article of clothing worn by a child, thereby making removal of the transmitter unit therefrom difficult to accomplish without having a special tool to detach it. Moreover, such a child distance monitoring and alerting system should initiate an alarm or a vibrator within the receiver unit worn by a parent whenever a child with the transmitter unit wanders beyond a predetermined distance or whenever the transmitter unit becomes detached from the child's clothing.
While these units mentioned above may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.